CAMPOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

Join DUDLEY on his Appalachian Trail Adventure. This Crazy Camping Canuck ... has been dreaming of the AT for decades. 2020 is the year! This video introduction explains what drove an old man from a comfortable retirement to the hard life of a Thru-Hiker!  Dudley - aka Campology's own Bruce Watts - will be VLOGGING exclusively on THE TREK's Youtube channel.  Dudley loves The Trek and super excited to be working with some fine folks.

Overview

My Appalachian Trail gear choices were 37 years in the making.

I have hiked more than 5000 kilometres over 4 decades, and my gear has changed massively as I learned and technology evolved. In the early 80's my pack base weight was around 20lbs... over the next decade it ballooned to a crippling 40lbs. Today it's generally sub 10lbs and my knees, heart, and soul love my "new" light and lean gear!  

Why I'm Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail 2020

My tortured and forbidden love affair with the Appalachian trail began in the fall of 1986. At that time I was 27 and she was 49. 

Her gothic charms were hard to resist.  When I first layed eyes on her statuesque beauty, I was giddy and euphoric. I had never seen anything more wonderful,  nor had I ever felt more alive than during those brief moments stroking her footpaths on the New Hampshire White Mountains. I wanted more, I needed more. 

It’s been 8 weeks since I was first admitted into the hospital emergency room with a debilitating mysterious foot swelling. 

In my mind, my 35-year-old Appalachian Trail dream was fading as slowly as the time passed during my 42 days in bed! My mental health took a hit big time as my lifelong dream appeared to be crashing and burning without any hope of the medical Calvary riding over the hill to my aid.